Virus brings own special problems for the industry
Many farming organisations took the sensible and responsible move before the weekend to pre-empt the expected wider Government ban on gatherings by postponing any upcoming events set to take place over the next few weeks.
And while, in truth, the cancellation of an NFU branch meeting might not conjure up the same levels of disappointment as that of the premature halt to the Six Nations, it too represents the start of what might be a protracted period of reduced social, contact.
It’s already been pointed out, though, that with lambing, calving and – weather permitting – preparing the land for spring sowing all pretty much upon us, there would be a fairly strong level of selfisolation going on anyway, with most of us subjecting ourselves to long hours in the lambing or calving sheds or in the tractor cab.
So the practicalities of not popping into the shops, down the pub or any sporting or music events have probably been factored in already – and I would guess that most farmhouses are generally stocked with enough toilet rolls to see them through a few weeks anyway.
And for most farmers diseases – and the means of controlling them – tend to be at the front of the mind anyway, whether you’re an arable grower trying to control septoria or mildew, a cattle farmer keen to see BVD eradicated from the national herd or a sheep farmer for whom, let’s face it, the list is too long to print.
The industry also had a major animal health crisis back in 2001 when foot and mouth disease ravaged much of the livestock sector – and biosecurity measures really came to the fore.
Now while no one would want to see a contiguous cull extended to the coronavirus pandemic, despite the fact that it’s almost 20 years ago now, the focus on hygiene measures and the general raising of the awareness of such an approach in improving the odds of keeping disease at bay has probably stuck in the consciousness of those who lived and worked through the F&M outbreak.
So while the principles might not be directly applicable, the practical side and the industry’s overall approach of increased care and awareness might be ahead of some other sectors of society – but make no mistake, we’re entering uncharted territory here.
On the minus side there’s also the fact that, as some never seem tired of telling us, the average age of those involved in the industry now stands at over 60, which, if the information being pedalled in the media is to be trusted, puts a lot of us in the higher risk category.
And although it’s been said the age figures are skewed as it’s “faither” who’s left to do the paperwork and fill in the details while the younger members of the family business are out doing the graft, faither still probably plays an important role in the workforce.
The paring to the bone of available labour which has happened over recent decades also means that taking anyone out of the mix at any time of the year is likely to stretch resources and the ability to get everything done.
If the virus hits, where do you turn? Friends or neighbours might want to help – but the chances are they will be in the same boat with no spare pool of labour to call on. And, with many operations being a one-man band that could have fairly drastic consequences.
So, while actual visits might not be on the cards, I guess it’s important that we keep in touch with fellow farmers, especially elderly producers and those who work on their own.
Even if spared from the virus itself, with the majority of our supply chains now relying on just-in-time deliveries – often from farflung parts of the world – there could be knockon consequences for the availability of spare parts as well as of some of the inputs which we normally take for granted.
But we shouldn’t go talking ourselves into a hole, though – and while the additional mental stresses which will inevitably arise as the country works to contain the epidemic shouldn’t be underestimated, farming at least has experience of isolation and a working knowledge of hygiene and biosecurity measures – and let’s not forget plenty of fresh air.